Day 7

Through the potteries from Stoke on Trent to Rugeley near Birmingham.  Long day - 24 miles and 18 locks.
What is the problem with locks?
Well a lock may be 50 yards which would be 10 paddle strokesand perhaps 20 seconds.  Put a lock in the way and we have to slow down and stop.  Haul ourselves onto the bank taking care to avoid dog mess, goose poo, nettles etc etc etc.  The boat then has to manhandled out of the water and carried to the other end of the lock. where it is pushed back into the water.  The technique for entering the boat is to keep all your weight on the bank until you are safely sitting down. This means sitting on the bank once again trying to avoid the usual hazzards.  All this takes around 10 minutes.  If the locks are close together it may be easier to fit the wheels to the boats and pull along to the next lock. 

Now do you see why we call them B........  Locks!

24 miles again today but only 4 locks!!!!